Lamp positioner



10, 1955 w. H. MORGAN, JR 3,200,363

LAMP POSITIONER Original Filed Dec. 15, 1955 WILLIAM H. MORGAN JR.

1N VENTOR.

BY i 8 I ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,200,363 LAMP POSITIONER William H. Morgan, .lrx, Beverly, Mass., assignor to Sylvania Electric Products Inc., a corporation of Delaware Continuation of application Ser. No. 553,367, Dec. 15, 1955. This application Mar. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 262,660 Claims. (Cl. 33993) This is a continuation of application Serial No. 553,367 filed December 15, 1955, now abandoned.

This invention relates generally to devices for providing precise positioning of electric lamps and more particularly to such devices for mounting projection lamps whose filaments must be in alignment with reflectors and lenses with which they are associated.

The installation of projection lamps having socalled octal bases similar to those of radio tubes has heretofore presented serious difficulties. Such a lamp when installed in a projector is subjected to vibration and other external forces which tend to displace the lamp, thereby moving the filament out of alignment with the reflector and lens. Means must therefore be incorporated in the lamps mounting for righting the lamp when it is so displaced. Since the lamp must also be easily removable from its socket any righting means which obstructs the removel of the lamp is accordingly unsatisfactory.

Therefore an object of this invention is to provide means for retaining projection lamps seated in their sockets.

Another object is to provide such means in a manner which does not unduly interfere with the removal of the lamp from its socket.

These and other objects are attained in accordance with my invention by an annular member fixed to the socket and having a plurality of slots defining between them a plurality of resilient fingers exerting an inwardly directed radial force against the lamp base which is provided with rounded protuberances each in engagement with one of the fingers for translating part of the radial force into an axial force urging the lamp base into the socket.

Further objects, advantages and novel features of my invention will be clarified from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in front elevation and partly in cross-section of a projection lamp and socket combination employing a centering device according to my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view in transverse section of the socket;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the socket.

I will now describe the illustrative embodiment of my invention with initial reference to FIGURE 1. The projection lamp indicated at comprises a glass envelope 12, closed at the top and bearing at the bottom a base 14. The base 14 includes a depending boss 16 having an orienting key 18 and a socket-contacting surface 20. In addition, the base 14 has at its periphery three outwardly extending rounded protuberances 22, adapted to being resiliently engaged by the annular spring member indicated at 24. Contact pins 25, in electrical communication with the lamps filament (not shown) pass through openings in the base 14.

The spring member 24, more clearly shown in FIG- URES 2 and 3, includes a series of radial slots 26 which define between them a plurality of upstanding fingers 28. Each of the fingers 28 has a convexly rounded internal surface for contacting the lamp base 14. The spring member 24 is rigidly mounted on an upwardly extending complementary surface integral with outer socket shell 30. A core 32 of appropriate insulating material is fitted within the shell 30 and retained therein by a ring 34 anchored to the shell 30 as by soldering or brazing. Con- 3,Z@,3fi3 Fatented Aug. TO, 1965 ice tact sleeves 36 are embedded in the core 32 and are adapted to forming electrical connections with the pins 25. A central bushing 38, having an orienting keyway 40 for receiving the key 13, is fitted in the core 32.

The inner diameter of the member 24 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the base 14. When the lamp 10 is mounted in the socket, the fingers 28 are displaced outwardly to accommodate the larger diameter and each finger 28 then exerts an inwardly directed radial force upon the base 14. Each of the protuberances 22 is engaged by one of the fingers 28 in such a manner that the inward force of the finger is translated into a force urging the surface 20 of the base 14 toward the socket. The radial forces exerted upon the base 14 are substantially equal in all directions and therefore center the lamp 10 in the socket. If pressure is then applied to one side of the lamp 10, thus tipping it in its socket, the radial forces are thereby unbalanced. The lamp 10 pivots on the lower corner of the base 14 against the inward urging of some of the fingers 28. As soon as the dislocating pressure is removed, however, the lamp 10 is returned to correct alignment by these fingers exerting the greater forces.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with an electric lamp provided with a base having a seating surface and a generally cylindrical periphery and a socket adapted to receiving said lamp base, a lamp orienting device comprising: generally equidistant rounded protuberances extending outwardly from said periphery at a common distance from said seating surface; an annular spring rigidly mounted on said socket and in resilient engagement with said protuberances and said periphery when the lamp base is inserted into the socket, said spring having a plurality of slots defining between them a plurality of fingers, some of which exert an inward pressure on said protuberances urging said seating surface toward said socket while the remainder exert only a radial pressure on said periphery between said protuberances only, whereby said lamp is righted after being displaced by random forces.

2. In combination with an electric lamp provided with a base having a seating surface and a generally cylindrical periphery, and a socket adapted to receiving said lamp base, a lamp orienting device comprising: generally equidistant rounded protuberances extending outwardly from said periphery at a common distance from said seating surface; an annular member fixed to said socket and encompassing said base; a plurality of resilient fingers, formed integral with said member, each having a convexly rounded base-contacting surface, one of said fingers being in engagement with each of said protuberances and urging said base into said socket, the remainder of said fingers applying only a radial pressure to said periphery between said protuberances, whereby said lamp is righted after being displaced by random forces.

3. In combination with a socket for receiving a lamp having a base of generally cylindrical periphery mounted thereon, said base having rounded protuberances spaced from the outer end thereof at substantially equal angular intervals, a lamp orienting device comprising: spring means fixed to said socket for resiliently engaging each of said protuberances and urging said base toward said socket; additional spring means also fixed to said socket for exerting only radial pressures on the generally cylindrical periphery .of said base between said protuberances only and from a plurality of directions.

4. In combination with a socket for receiving a lamp having a base of generally cylindrical periphery mounted thereon, said base having rounded protuberances spaced from the outer end thereof at substantially equal angular intervals, a lamp orienting device comprising: an annular member fixedly mounted on said socket and having a plurality of resilient fingers, some of which are engageable by said protuberances for urging said base inwardly toward said socket, the remainder of said fingers exerting only a radial pressure against the periphery of said base between said protuberances when the latter is inserted into said socket, whereby said lamp is righted after being displaced by random forces.

5. In combination with a socket for receiving a lamp having a base of generally cylindrical periphery mounted thereon, said base having rounded protuberances spaced from the outer end thereof at substantially equal angular intervals, a lamp orienting device comprising: an annular member fixedly mounted on said socket and having a plurality of slots defining between them a plurality of like resilient fingers, each having a convexly base-contacting surface, one of said fingers being engageably by each of said protuberances for urging said base inwardly toward said socket, the remainder of said fingers exerting only a radial pressure against said base between protuberances when the latter is inserted into said socket, whereby said lamp is righted after being displaced by random forces.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,321,934 11/19 Merchant 339-140 X 1,885,782 11/32 Strongson 339-143 X 2,008,594 7/35 Recher 313-318 2,191,336 2/40 Carroll 339-73 2,192,943 3/40 Sumner 339-75 2,704,354 3/55 Boerum 339-93 2,742,627 4/56 Lazzery et al 339-193 FOREIGN PATENTS 676,861 8/52 Great Britain.

JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner. 

3. IN COMBINATION WITH A SOCKET FOR RECEIVING A LAMP HAVING A BASE OF GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL PERIPHERY MOUNTED THEREON, SAID BASE HAVING ROUNDED PROTUBERANCES SPACED FROM THE OUTER END THEREOF AT SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL ANGULAR INTERVALS, A LAMP ORIENTING DEVICE COMPRISING: SPRING MEANS FIXED TO SAID SOCKET FOR RESILIENTLY ENGAGING EACH OF SAID PROTUBERANCES AND URGING SAID BASE TOWARD SAID SOCKET; ADDITIONAL SPRING MEANS ALSO FIXED TO SAID SOCKET FOR EXERTING ONLY RADIALLY PRESSURE ON THE GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL PERIPHERY OF SAID BASE BETWEEN SAID PROTUBERANCES ONLY AND FROM A PLURALITY OF DIRECTIONS. 